America seen through the eyes of the huddled masses. The hero is Estaban, one of a group of Central Americans brought to New York to crew a tramp ship, only to

William Robinson, whose pseudonym may well have been his lower-deck nickname, volunteered for naval service in May 1805. This was in itself unusual by this time

In this acclaimed novel, the Pulitzer Prize–finalist explores the perils, passions, and adventures of a young Nicaraguan immigrant trapped in Brooklyn. Named

"The second volume of ... social history of the Royal Navy's 'lower deck', exploring the world of the seamen (as opposed to the officers of the quarterdeck) ...